Your Love Will Keep Me Strong
by Tru Valentine
Summary: The legend of preistess Kagome is about a woman who overcame hell's trials to deliver the world from evil. This is the story of a love that lived beyond death and the strenght one woman possessed to destroy the greatest evil the world has ever known.
1. Lying In the Darkness

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****Your love will keep me strong  
****Chapter One**

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_What's wrong, what's wrong now?  
Too many, too many problems.  
Don't know where she belongs, where she belongs.  
She wants to go home, but nobody's home.  
It's where she lies, broken inside.  
With no place to go, no place to go to dry her eyes.  
Broken inside._

She knew he was there, staring at her. She could feel his eyes burning into her back. He wanted acknowledgment, but she was bound and determined to defy him. Instead of turning she just held her stomach protectively, back facing the angry youkai before her. With a hint of a growl he grabbed her arm, twisting it painfully until their eyes met. She didn't scream, wince, or feel pain. She was too numb, too wrapped up in herself. His snarl didn't faze her. She didn't feel even the crushing blow as he sent her sprawling to the ground. She didn't remember picking herself up. All she felt was loneliness and sadness. Emptiness. Her heart had long died along with her soul. She wasn't alive. She was little more than what Kikyo once was. What she wouldn't give to die, to stay dead, if he'd only let her.

The damn sword tensusiga! Always bringing her back if her frail body gave out. Death was such a beautiful thing for her. When all the sores on her body disappeared, and she saw the love of her life, and her children. But they'd been dead five long months. She'd been drained of her essence. What was keeping her going? What was letting her fight? Nothing. Nothing except the fact she knew that she'd be brought back every time she died. Suicide was horrible. He killed her twice when she dared do it, bringing her back, and beating her unmercifully. Her whole body ached. He liked her the most. She was his best slave. He loved abusing her body, twisting her into nothing.

**She had nothing. **

**She was nothing.**

She picked herself up again. Slower this time.

She didn't feel his claws rip at her body over and over. She didn't feel his teeth clamp on her throat. She didn't scream, wince, or feel any pain. She just saw that familiar blue light rushing around her body, and the brainwashing feeling of peace. She saw the golden eyes of the one she loved, stare into her. She felt his hand gently caress her bruised and beaten body. Every part of her he touched healed, and he kissed her gently. A little girl and two little boys ran up to her. She kissed them. Every kiss they returned kicked down the walls around her dead heart.

Suddenly she was ripped away from them, pulled back to the cold, dark bedroom. It was too late to draw into herself. The whip cruelly slashed down at her. She screamed as it tore open flesh, and old wounds bled again. Black blood trickled down to her toes, drenching the carpet. Finally she didn't feel the pain. She was gone, somewhere deep inside herself. His snarls barely heard, his words bouncing off her. She stared at the blood red pools of darkness, no life moving inside them. Suddenly his eyes became the yellow eyes of the love of her life. She smiled, letting herself feel.

He laughed at her gullibility and the cruel whip came down on her again. The blood red pools of darkness quickly replaced the golden eyes. After two whimpers she retreated into herself. A flicker of annoyance flashed in his eyes. He was smiling like a manic, his eyes begging her to scream.

But she couldn't feel anything.

Finally, the first part was over. That was the best part of her daily torture. Because he finally undressed himself, slamming himself into her. She could always feel that pain. She didn't scream, she didn't wince. She just accepted the pounding he was giving her.

Tears slipped down her swollen face, turning pink when they mixed with her own blood. Her eyes were glazed over, her body breaking down again. She welcomed death, as the slight knowledge of his release into her now empty shell. The blue light enveloped her and once again she was greeted. This time not by the yellow eyes of love of her life, but the brown ones of her best friend. They hugged, and a man leaning on a golden stick joined her. The friend and man kissed eyes full of love and trust. They touched her shoulder, and once again she was back, tensusiga beside her.

The golden eyes of the love of her life stuck.

She smiled a bit, completely away from the pain. She closed her eyes, imagining those golden pools screaming their love. She remembered the childish giggles as he told her he loved her. She remembered their kiss. She remembered their becoming one. She remembered the look on his face when she bore him their first son. She remembered the love in his eyes when he first held his baby girl. She remembered the joy that radiated off him as he kissed his youngest son. When she opened her eyes he was gone. She got up from the hard floor, going to the chamber pot. Behind it she pulled out a dead rose, she kissed it. He came up behind her, snatching it from her grasp. He slashed her neck; she felt the pain and peace of death. He brought her back too quickly to meet the ones she loved. As he tore the rose to pieces, she cried silently.

Yet she couldn't feel a thing.

_Open your eyes and look outside, find the reasons why.  
You've been rejected, and now you can't find what you left behind.  
Be strong, be strong now._

**(End)**

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Project number 2.

I know it was a bit short, but it'll get longer as the story progresses. My beta is currently on vacation so I may mis-spell things and butcher the grammar system. My apologizes.

Tru Valentine

(Update: 2/26)


	2. The Victims

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Your Love Will Keep Me Strong**

**Part I: Escaping Hell's Wrath  
****Chapter Two**

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_Show me how we ends  
__this all right  
__Show me how defenseless  
__you really are  
__Satisfied and empty inside  
__Well that's alright  
__Let's give this another try_

She awoke to the screams of the day's first victim. Groggy she could hardly hear through the blood pounding in her own ears. She uncurled herself from the fetal position, checking the shadows to make sure no one was around. With the softest groan she tried to ignore the terrible pain that burned all throughout her naked body, gritting her teeth to keep from crying out. With the simple snap of her fingers that flesh mended itself again and the pain subsided quickly.

Another howl distracted her from her temporarily relief. The words 'fresh meat' came to mind at the outraged, tortured sobs that were emitted from whomever found themselves under the manic claws of their master. She'd expected someone new to come in to replace that last slave that'd died.

Slowly she started to block out the woman's screams as she focused on her own situation. She'd been planning escape for so long that her waking thought was always, "Will this be the day I'm freed?" With minimum effort she lay on her stomach and started doing as many push-ups as her body would allow. The rigorous work-out put her mind at ease and helped her unused muscles stay firm and fit. After all, she couldn't escape as weak as she was when she'd arrived.

Every woman there had a purpose, to be used for the pleasure of another. Everyday there were the same events without the slightest changes, a beating, rape and then the extensive torture that had most of them whimpering through the nights. Once and a while a woman would get pregnant, and her morning sickness triggered the instant pity of the 'older' slaves. For it had happened while she was there that a woman be beaten for getting pregnant and then the child extracted by primeval abortion. If the woman died tensusiga was always there to bring them right on back to hell.

Occasionally a strong woman started carrying. In that case the baby was left unharmed. During birth the woman left her cell and was never heard from again. But once, and only once a single youkai woman had had the courage to defy their master and refused to give up the baby. In response she had it with her for two months; they ate well and weren't given the ritual beatings everyone else received. And then in the middle of the night he'd taken his own child and poisoned it. The baby cried violently all night before it stilled, turned blue from the lack of oxygen. The screams of that one baby burned into the memory of everyone present. None of them had slept that night.

The vile memory led her to touch her own stomach which protected her own babe. Once, she'd been a great miko but she'd used up every once of power she'd had to be able to heal and protect that baby. It was all she had of the golden eyed love of her life. Her cruel master could kill her all he wanted to but as long as she breathed so did the child. And until she was safe, the baby's development was put on hold. Until she was free the baby would remain in her stomach. Ha. He didn't know she carried the child of his hated enemy. Now she was all alone in the world.

**Flashback**

Kagome was bathing her youngest daughter when she heard the squeals and shrikes of the demon army heading her way. Inuyasha ran into the room, instructing for the kids to go straight to the well and into the future where'd they'd be safe. He'd taken his sword from it's sheathe and run outside, sending his wife a look that pleaded for her to go with their children. Instead, she dressed little Izumi and put a single shikon shard into her palm. With a kiss to the head of the girl and of her two sons Ichiro and Jiro, she'd grabbed her bow and flew to her love's side.

Sango and Miroku came from their hut, weapons already in hand. Together, the three friends joined Inuyasha, their allies and the few able-bodied villagers, staring fearfully at the vast number of youkai coming their way. Kanna and Kagura walked at the head of the group, Kanna held her mirror and looked just as impassive as ever while Kagura's eyes held pity.

The villagers were dead with a single sweep of Kagura's fan. Their allies, included Kouga and his clan, the Lynx tribe, and a few other friends they'd made on their quest for the shikon jewel. Kanna and Kagura were killed just as quickly as they'd dispensed the villagers. Inuyasha took care of the petty lower youkai with a few swipes of tetsusiaga and Kouga took out those that got in the way. It looked like a sure fire win until Naraku came from out of no where.

He opened some sort of portal in the air, something that resembled Miroku's cursed hand, before attacking youkai viciously.

Kagome watched in horror as Inuyasha stumbled slightly from one Naraku's blow. Her little girl stopped her mad dash for the well to scream for her father. Kagome's sons left their sister to run into the battle, swords lifted before their heads. Naraku grabbed them, and they disappeared through the portal. Suddenly Sesshoumaru came in. Kagome yelled for Inuyasha to watch out, but Sesshoumaru's sword wasn't pointed at his half-breed brother for once. Naraku was obviously surprised, but with a little energy, Sesshoumaru too, disappeared into the portal. Kagome screamed as Inuyasha pointed towards the well. He was dying, and she knew it.

Kagome jumped into battle, shooting arrows at Naraku. He didn't even bother to avoid them, he'd gotten too powerful. They bounced off him like wood on metal. She cried out, trying hard to fit another arrow to the bow. She heard the shrill cry of her daughter, and saw her tumble into the well, a large green demon on her foot. The demon wouldn't last in the future, but Kagome's heart tugged violently anyway.

"Miroku! Help!" she heard Sango yell. She turned to help her, just as she was caught by a bright blue beam from Naraku. Sango fell, dead before she hit the ground. Kagome's heart broke. She saw Miroku run to her, and he was struck down too. Naraku sent a beam at her. It grazed her arm, causing her to cry out in pain as she slipped to the floor. She lied on the ground, watching her friends fall.

She thanked God she'd taken most of their children to the future so they wouldn't be caught in the final battle. Sango and Miroku's twin boys were safe at her house, along with Shippou. Most of the village's children were there too. If everyone perished in the past, at least the children could live healthily in the future.

"Kagome leave now!" Inuyasha yelled. He wasn't doing so very well. Tetsusiaga was bruised and battered. It wouldn't even transform now. He was using his claws to do most of the fighting. They were the last standing. Kikyou was with them, fighting what looked like another form of Naraku. She was doing fine on her own.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled. There were more hordes of demons coming towards them. As soon as they hit the scene, the defeated shells of the villagers awoke, possessed by demonic spirits. Kagome sent six arrows towards them, skillfully slaughtering half of the huge numbers of demons.

"Kagome you must leave!" he yelled. As soon as the words were out his mouth he fell for good. Naraku's sword embedded deep within his heart. Kagome flinched from the horrible sight. Inuyasha's eyes darted around. He was crying blood. Suddenly a great red cascade burst from his lips. The blood splattered everywhere, coming out in gushes. Kagome screamed before passing out.

**End Flashback**

When she awoke, she was hanging in that cell. The first things that greeted her sight, were the heads of many people from the future, including her children, mate, mother, brother, grandfather, Shippou, and Sango and Miroku's children. She choked on her vomit, passing out before she could really register what had gone on. Naraku came to her, now a full demon. He raped her three times before beating her. Her already tired and fragile body gave up. She died. She saw everyone. They hugged and kissed her before Naraku brought her back. He explained the demon latched on to her daughter killed many in the future. He also allowed Naraku in the portal. Smelling my scent in the house, he killed everyone there. She threw up when he told her.

He left the heads in her room for three days before posting them on a pike outside her window. The first night she killed herself, he brought her back to life, beating her severely. She tried again, this time he was so angry he killed her twice. When he brought her back, she was begging for death.

PERMENT death.

She used up the rest of her miko powers saving the unborn baby inside her. She was now completely defenseless. Every day for two months he'd come to hurt her. She learned to hide into herself. A task not easily done. But she blocked out the pain and horror. When he learned what she'd do, he made it longer, so when she slipped up and let herself feel, he'd hear her screams. The disgusting bastard. The warm memories of her last year with Inuyasha kept her alive, kept her strong. But that was all, and even that was hanging on a thread with hope.

_If you find your family  
__Don't you cry  
__In this land of make believe  
__Dead and dry  
__You're so cold  
__but you feel alive  
__Lay your hand on me  
__One last time_

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**Not happy, pretty gruesome. Not well done but it'll hold for now. I promise it'll get better once I get further along in the story!**

**Tru Valentine**


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